Angiogenesis, the formation of new capillary blood vessels, is a fundamental process essential for reproduction, embryonic development, and cancer growth and progression. The major route of tumor spread is through the bloodstream. Once in circulation, the tumor cells aggregate in clumps with platelets, which enhances the tumor cell survival. The tumor emboli will then adhere to the blood vessel endothelium. See, e.g., Bikfalvi et al., Semin Thromb Hemost., 30(1):137-44 (2004); Sargiannidou et al., Semin Thromb Hemost., 30(1):127-36 (2004); Sierko et al., Semin Thromb Hemost., 30(1):95-108 (2004); Blakytny et al., J Cell Physiol., 199(1):67-76 (2004); Folkman J., Semin Oncol., 29 (6 Suppl 16):15-8 (2002).
Early detection of a disease condition such as cancer typically allows for a more effective therapeutic treatment with a correspondingly more favorable clinical outcome. Thus, there is a need for detection methods which allow clinicians to determine the presence of cancers and tumors before advanced stages of cancerous diseases are reached. Moreoever, clinicians need methods for efficiently and accurately determining whether cancerous tumors are dormant or malignant.